The present invention generally relates to electrical connectors and more particularly relates to a plug-in connector for connecting a cable containing a plurality of signal lines and current supply lines to a consumer, e.g. an electronic regulator of a motor vehicle control system.
Such plug-in connectors are already known. If e.g. the plug-in connector shall be accommodated in the engine compartment of a vehicle it is absolutely necessary to protect the contacts and the space in which the contacts engage from penetrating water, oil and dirt. Otherwise leakage currents may be caused between the single contacts and in particular between the contacts serving for the current supply which are designed for high currents. Said leakage currents do not only impair the function of the devices but may also cause a dangerous heat build-up within heating-up of the plug-in connector.
It is therefore object of the present invention to realize a plug-in connector in such a way that it is protected against leakage currents with a relatively simple but rugged structure, high mechanical load carrying capacity and resistance against rough treatment. Furthermore it should be a plug-in connector which can easily be closed and separated in order to minimize the assembly expenditure during production and maintenance of the vehicle.
This object is achieved by the plug-in connector described of the present invention wherein the housing is divided by intermediate walls into at least three spaces which are separated from each other in a liquid-tight manner. At least one of said spaces is provided for the signal line contacts and at least one space each for the current supply contacts having the same electrical potential.
By dividing the space into several interior spaces by means of intermediate walls, dangerous leakage currents are eliminated in a simple and cost-effective manner.
In a preferred embodiment current supply contacts which provide for the current supplyxe2x80x94on the one hand to ground and on the other hand to the positive pole of the vehicle batteryxe2x80x94are arranged as far from each other as possible in the plug-in connector in order to obtain a high resistance in case of failures relating to penetration of humidity or dirt.
If nonetheless there is a dirt accumulation, a current flow from a current supply contact to a signal contact is only a minor problem because said current flow does not lead to a heating-up of the device but at most to a fault which would be indicated in time by the usual monitoring and warning systems.